


What Makes a Monster?

by ivycross



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Dialog heavy, Episode Reboot, Gen, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-06
Updated: 2013-05-06
Packaged: 2017-12-10 15:18:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/787503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivycross/pseuds/ivycross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reboot of the TOS episode "The Devil in the Dark."<br/>Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock must figure out what is murdering people on a mining colony, but they find out that things are not as they seem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Makes a Monster?

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Star Trek: The original reboot](http://theoriginalreboot.tumblr.com)  
> I borrowed heavily from the episode for most of the dialog, based off [this transcript.](http://www.chakoteya.net/startrek/26.htm)  
> Not beta read, so any and all mistakes are mine.

Monster.

That was the word on everyone's lips, creeping through everyone's mind. Monster. No one knew what it was or what it looked like. There was no clue as to where it had come from, but everyone speculated that it must have been buried under the rock of the planet. After all the attacks only just started after they had broken through the Lower levels.

Now men were turning up dead. Worse than that they were being discovered burned, charred corpses left on the ground.  It was getting to be too much and the Chief Engineer, Mr. Vanderberg, was at his wits end. That must have been the reason he made the call to Starfleet, demanding they send help. After all if did, they would be no one left to mine the planet and that would not due.  So Starfleet answered the call and promised that they would dispatch the nearest starship.

Hopefully it would arrive soon. The men and women in the mines were getting anxious. Mistakes were being made, toes were being stepped on, and tempers were flaring. It was become very unsafe. Many had proposed that they arm themselves and hunt the thing down, but even though people would rally around such cries, no one would actually do anything.

None of them in fact wanted to face the monster.  They had lives they wanted to keep and continue living. With any luck the members of Starfleet would come and they would handle this. In the darkness of the tunnels, something moved and waited.

*****

Captain James T. Kirk stood and attentively listened while the Chief Engineer, Vanderberg, spoke.  His blue eyes traced the lines in the man's face and wondered how many of them had formed recently. The man was a wreck Jim could see that.  He stood there, shaking, looking exhausted, and babbling about a monster killing his miners.

Kirk moved his eyes to the right and watched his CMO, Doctor Leonard McCoy, or has Jim reference to him, "Bones", looking around peering a tunnel maps and diagrams. Swiveling his eyes to left Kirk watched his First Officer Mr. Spock studied a purple sphere on the Engineer's desk. The Vulcan was peering at it intently and that made Kirk curious. He turned his attention back to Vanderberg.

"And you have no clue as to what exactly is attacking you workers?" Kirk watched the Engineer's eye's shift back and forth. The older man seemed flustered and there was a hearty redness to the man's face that reflected this emotional state.

"Only one that's seen it and lived is Ed," the Vanderberg said. Kirk nodded slowly, patiently.

"Ed?" Kirk prompted. Vanderberg nodded.

"Ed Appel, my chief processing engineer. He said that he shot it and it got away."

"Shot at it?" Kirk questioned and the engineer shook his head.

"No. Shot it. With a phaser. He told me it was big and shaggy."  Kirk licked his lips and stepped back, moving around the room at bit.

"I see. When did the attacks start?" He said turning back to Vanderberg.

"About a few months ago.  We opened up one of the lower levels about that time. Since then I have been losing crew left and right. Equipment too."  Kirk frowned, his blue eye narrowing

"Equipment?" He questioned and from the corners of his eyes he notice both Spock and McCoy up from what they were doing.

"Yeah. Whatever it is it is started off demolishing some of our equipment. We would come in next day to work and find parts and pieces missing.  The repairs would set us back several hours if not a whole day."

Kirk nodded again; bring a fist to his mouth in though. A monster that not only killed but was capable of sabotage? In fact started off with the less violent approach first. Kirk turned in place as he thought. He turned back to Vanderberg placing both hands behind his back.

"When was the last attack?" The Vanderberg's face paled and looked even graver than before.

"Last night," He said flatly.  Kirk lifted an eyebrow.

"Last night?"

"Yeah," said the Engineer. "We had started do patrols at night to see if we could catch the thing and stop it, so one of my men was out in the tunnels looking for it. We heard the scream from all the way over here. By the time we got to him..." The Vanderberg swallowed hard and turned his face away.

Kirk said nothing. He knew all too well the grief of losing a man. From his right McCoy stepped forward.

"I would like to examine the body, if that is okay?" The doctor's tone was gentle in McCoy's gruff way of speaking. Vanderberg nodded and looked from Kirk to McCoy.

"We thought you might, so we save the body for ya. Hey why don't you take him down to where we got Schmitter kept so he can see?"  The door of the office, guard stood to attention and nodded. He gestured for McCoy to follow him out of the room.  Vanderberg turned back to Kirk, his lips thin and pulled tight.

"You're all pretty tough, aren't you? Starship, phaser banks. You can't get your starship down in the tunnels." Kirk merely tilted his head and smiled.

"I don't think we'll need to, Mister Vanderberg, but we'll need a complete subsurface chart of all the drifts, galleries and tunnels." Kirk continued to smile and the older man nodded.

"Don't worry you'll get them."

"Excuse me."  Both men turned to look at Mr. Spock who was still standing in front of the Engineer's desk, looking intently at the purple sphere. "Mister Vanderberg, what is this?" Kirk turned from Spock to Vanderberg and lifted his eyebrows. He was curious now too.

Vanderberg shrugged. "It's a silicon nodule. There are a millions of them are down there. No commercial value." Spock arched one slim eyebrow and pursed his lips in as he looked back to the spare on the desk. He then looked back at the engineer.

"But an oddity, perhaps? Is it pure silicon?" Kirk Watched as Vanderberg face reddened some more and the man grit his teeth.

"What do you think this is? A field trip so you could collect rocks? I've got men dying and if Starfleet wants us to start work again, you better find that monster."   Vanderberg was trembling with anger and while Spock merely tilted his head to one side and observed this, Kirk placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Mister Vanderberg we will get to the bottom of this, don't you worry about that. Just so long as WE have YOUR complete cooperation, okay?" Kirk's tone while soft held a hint of Authority and his blue eye drilled into Vanderberg. The older man scowled, but nodded.

"You got it. Now I have a mining operation run. If you will excuse me?" Kirk and Spock watched the engineer go. As Vanderberg passed out the door he bumped in to McCoy who was coming back in.

McCoy watched him go and then continued to make his way over to Kirk.

"That was quick. What's the story, bones?" McCoy twisted his mouth up in distaste and sighed.

"Well Jim there wasn't much to look at. The body was charred down to nothing. Just teeth and a few bones. I talked to the planet's physician and we agree that it was chemical."

Kirk blinked and frowned." Chemical?"

"Yep. Some type of extremely corrosive acid. I've never seen anything like it."  Kirk stood looking at his CMO and then turned his attention to Spock, who had finally moved from the desk over to a far wall that held holograms of charts and maps.

"Mr. Spock what do you make of this?"  The Vulcan turned slowly to his captain and with his hand behind his back.

"I would say captain that we may be dealing with something not yet known to the federation." McCoy snorted at Spock's words.

"There the understatement of the century." He muttered and Kirk shushed him.

"Spock, explain." Kirk ordered.

"Captain I have scanned the surface and below of this planet for any and all signs of life. Other than the human miners all scans show no signs of life, or at least as we know it."  Kirk studied Spock's face and pursed his lips. Beside him McCoy snorted again, but made no further comment.

"All right," said Kirk, "we'll go over the maps and see what we can find. Spock I want you to start tracing the tunnels and pinpoint where the attack have occurred."

"I have already done that, Captain."  Kirk paused frowning slightly.

"Oh, okay. Good. So we'll get some security down here," he paused to see if Spock would make some comment along the lines of,  'I have already did that too,' but the Vulcan remained silent. Kirk smiled and continued. "And we will try to find this 'monster.'"

"Captain Kirk!" All three men turned toward the shoat and rushed out of the officer. The fled down the stairs and halls to find Vanderberg frantic standing outside of a large smoking hole in the wall.

"Something's happened. Will you look at that?" He pointed to the hole before going through it. Kirk, Spock and McCoy stared at it in wonder and horror.

"Christ, will you look at that? I mean the size of it." McCoy said, staring at the hole. Jim leaned forward and reached out a hand, only to feel someone pull him back.

"I wouldn't touch that Captain. The acid could still be active," said Spock.   Kirk nodded grimly and carefully made his way through the opening. Inside he found Vanderberg and another man gaping at a piece of equipment, panicking. Kirk moved up to Vanderberg.

"What happened?" He asked. Vanderberg turned toward Kirk and gestured to the machine.

"The main circulating pump for the entire reactor is gone. Without the reactor will go critical."

Don't you have a replacement?" Kirk asked.  He watched as Vanderberg shook his head.

"No. This equipment is outdated. We never any problems before, so no need to spend the money to upgrade."

"Can you shut it down?" McCoy offered. A harsh laughter came from the engineer.

"Yeah right. That reactor provides heat and oxygen for the whole colony."  From where he was crouched on the floor, Spock looked up at McCoy and Kirk

"I believe that would be a no, doctor." McCoy scowled back.

"I got that Spock."

"Enough," Kirk said. "Spock what do you make of it?" He peered down at the vulcan.  Spock examined the hole in the machine some more before looking back up at Kirk.

"It would seem that whatever took the pump for the reactor what the same thing that was use to create the hole in the wall."

"It was the monster. It's trying to kill us all off." The other man in the room finally spoke and all eyes turned towards him. Kirk gave him a critical look.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid I did not catch your name," Kirk said. The man tilted his head back and met Kirk eyes.

"Ed Appel."

"Ah. You're the one who has seen the creature in question and think that it's trying to wipe out a whole colony?" Kirk stepped closer.  Ed stood his ground.

"This here is the same kind of stuff that has happened before, only it far worse. I guess what it was got tired of killing us off one by one." Kirk swiftly his gaze to Vanderberg.

"Is this true? That this is same kind of damage as before?" Kirk asked.

"Exactly, captain Kirk."  Kirk sighed and turned away from them to face McCoy and Spock.

"Okay. First things first. We need a new pump." He pulled out his communicator. "Kirk to Enterprise. I need to be connected to Scotty."

On the other end Uhura's soft tone came through, "I will patch through, Captain." There was a pause and then Scotty could be heard.

"What can I do fer ya, Cap'n?"

"Scotty, would we happen to have a main circulating pump for a," He paused to look at the side of the reactor, "PXK rector?"

There was silence for a second and then Scotty said, "I beg your pardon, cap'n, but I don't think they even still make those. I mean I haven't seen a PXK in - twenty years!"

Kirk licked his lips in frustration. "Okay, but would we have a spare pump for one?"

"Ah, no," Scotty's voice said through the communicator. Kirk looked from McCoy to Spock, both of them shrugging their shoulders.

"Fine, could you rig something up? It's important Scotty."

"I could put something together sure, but it wouldna hold for long?"

"Can you give me time frame?"

There was some muttering from the communicator and then Scotty said, "Forty-eights at the max, if we're lucky."

Kirk sighed looking around the room.  "That's better than nothing. Gather what you need and beam down."

"Aye Aye Cap'n," and the communicator beeped signaling the end of the transmission.  Kirk attached it back on his belt and turned back to Vanderberg.

"I have someone coming down to put something together until we can get to the bottom of this." Kirk said calmly.

"Yeah well what if doesn't hold?" Vanderberg retorted. Kirk swallowed.

"It's gonna have to. Otherwise you will have to evacuate all your people. We would rather not do that because there are so many that depend on what you mine here."

"I'm worried about MY people, Kirk. They're being murdered and I want the creature responsible taking down."

Kirk nodded solemnly. "We will do everything we can. Now excuse us. I would like to confer with Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock."  Vanderberg glared but nodded. Ed who up to this point said nothing chimed in.

"I say we arm ourselves and go after the thing all together. It can't kill us all in a fight and with enough phaser..."

"Please, just let us handle this," Kirk's tone had hardened. He did not like the way this was going.  Ed said nothing else but looked sulky.  Kirk turned back toward his CMO and XO. Together the three of them left just as Scotty was beaming down.

*****

Back in Vanderberg's office Kirk took a sip of some coffee that some brought in and leaned against a wall.  To one side McCoy sat in a chair reading over a chart of some kind while Spock had taken up station in front of Vanderberg desk, once again staring at the purple sphere.

"Captain, you are aware that the pump was not taking by chance." Spock said looking over at Kirk.  Kirk finished off his coffee.

"I got that impression, but to mass murder a whole colony? Why?" Spock shook his head.

"I don't think it wants to murder the colonists, but I think it has ever reason to believe that it wants them off the planet."

"Okay but we're back to the big question here Spock. Why? This production mine has been here for decades." McCoy piped in.  Spock turned back to the nodule and Kirk walked over to him.

"I do not for sure but-"

"But what, Spock?" Kirk said. The Vulcan turned his brown eyes to his captain.

"When we think of life we think of it has carbon based units. What about the possibility that there are silicon based life forms as well?" Kirk's forehead wrinkled, but McCoy started to laugh.

"Really Spock? Silicon based life? You're living in some kind of fantasy land." McCoy said.  Spock titled his head the only sign of his annoyance.  Kirk chewed on his lower lips for a second as he thought.

"Well wait up Bones. What Spock is saying is not completely unfounded."

"What?" McCoy said and Kirk grinned.

"No really. I read something a while back that talked about the possibility of silicon based life on planets in other solar systems.  Do you really think that is what we are dealing with here Spock?"

"Yes Captain. That is exactly what I am speculating."

"But silicon-based life is physiologically impossible, especially in an oxygen atmosphere," McCoy countered.

"You may be right bones, but this is still something to consider." Jim watched as Spock turned back to the sphere on the desk.  "Spock, you seem to be captivated with this is rock.  Any reason why?"

Spock looked again at Kirk, "Just speculation at this point, Captain. I will need to consider matters farther before I say more."

Kirk opened his mouth to speak but shut it again and exhaled nosily through his nose. "Very well Mr. Spock." He stepped away as a large man in a red shirt came through the door.

"Ah Commander Giotto. Have you briefed your men on what is happening and what is expected of them?"

"Yes sir. I have let them know that they are to use force and kill on sight." Kirk nodded.

"Excellent.  I will be down shortly to join the search. You dismissed." Giotto gave a brief nod and exited the room. McCoy stood and stretched.

"I have a feeling that I'm gonna need to prep my surgery, so I will just be heading back to the ship." He said heading toward the door.

"Good call Bones. Let's hope that won't be the case." Kirk watched him leave and felt rather than saw Spock appear at his side.

"Captain?"

"Hmmm?" Kirk answered. He heard a subtle tone to Spock's voice, one he did not use often. It was questioning and little disappointed.

"Captain, "Spock started," I would like to say that if this is something new, a life form we have yet to encounter then it would be a crime against science to kill it." Kirk turned toward Spock while placing his hands behind his back.

"Spock, look. I get it. You wanna chance to study this thing, but may I remind you of what our mission is here. We are to dispose of this creature so that this colony can get back to proper working order.  This is not zoological expedition."

Spock's mouth twisted for a brief moment before he nodded. "Of course Captain. I too see no other way around it. It just seems- like pity." Kirk frowned.  Spock's voice held so much sadness right then. It was jarring.   Kirk licked his lips and turned away.

"Spock, I think you should go help Mr. Scott."

"I beg your pardon, Captain, but why?"

Kirk turned and gave Spock a stern look. "Because Spock we need to keep that reactor going. Scotty has got it up and running but it need to stay up and running. Your knowledge..."

"Would serve no purpose since we are both aware that Mr. Scott is far more knowledgeable than I in regards to nuclear reactors."  Spock held Kirk's stare for the longest time the two of them did not move or even blink. Finally it was Kirk that broke first. He didn't turn away but he did advert his eyes.

"Spock, you're my second in command and what we're going up against is dangerous. I can't have both of us running around looking for this thing because one of us has to be able to go back to the ship."

Spock appeared to think about this for moment. "I see, but Captain let me assure you that your think is irrational."

"Irrational?" Kirk said indignation pouring off him.  Spock gave several quick nods of his head.

"Indeed.  There are over a hundred of us that will be engaged in the search.  The odds of something happening to both us are extremely small." Kirk moved closer to his first officer his curiosity overriding his previous emotions.

"How small?" he asked.

"2,228.7 to 1," Spock said matter-a-factly. Kirk blinked his mouth hanging open just a fraction.

"Two thousand, two hundred and twenty-eight..."

"Point seven, captain."

Kirk blinked some more and added, "to one?"  Spock stuck out his chin slightly.

"Indeed."  Kirk studied his first officer and chuckled softly to himself.  This made Spock straighten his already ramrod posture and raise an eyebrow.

"Captain?" He inquired. Kirk shook his head, grinning.

"Don't worry about Spock. Come on. I'm sure Giotto is waiting for us."

Spock said nothing else and they filed out the door of the office. They found Commander Giotto talking to Vanderberg and Ed Appel, along with some of the other miners.

"What's going on?" Kirk demanded.

"They want to join in the hunt, sir," Giotto supplied.

"We decided that thing isn't driving us out and we're not going to let it take anymore lives," Vanderberg said. There was chorus of, "yeahs" and "that's rights" from the other miners.  Kirk licked his lips. Mob rule, he thought. Not good.

He studied the crowd and saw right away that these men would not take no for an answer, so he tried another approach.

"Okay," He said. "We don't have enough phasers to supply all of you and my men. It has already been established that type one phasers have no effect on the thing and that is all you have."

"We don't care. We'll use them and when they don't work, we've got clubs," said Ed. There was another round of jeers from the others.  Kirk briefly turned his eye upwards to peal to a god he wasn't sure existed, before he answered.

"Alright. But you're teaming up with my men. Commander, start pairing security with the miners. Spock you're coming with me." Kirk hurried away before anymore could be said, leaving Commander Giotto with the painful task of dealing with the miners.

*****

"Man, these tunnels must go everywhere. How are we supposed to find this thing," Kirk stopped where he stood and peered around him. The tunnel that he was currently seemed to stretch out forever and there were ones to his left and right that were just as daunting.  He scrubbed his face with hand and turned back to look at Spock who was slowly walking a few pacing behind Kirk, he attention fixed on his tricorder.

"Spock you think you could come up with a simpler way of finding this thing?" Kirk asked. Spock looked up from his tricorder and picked up his pace.

When he reached Kirk he said, with only a tiny hint of smugness, "I believe I already did, Captain." Kirk exhaled loudly relief washing over him.

"Oh good," he said enjoying the look of "no I'm not enjoying this. Pride what pride?" look on his first officer's face.  Spock held up his tricorder for Kirk to see.

"As you can see I reconfigured the tricorder to pick up traces of silicon. If we go down this tunnel, "he pointed to the one on their left," we should find the creature that much faster."

Kirk gaze followed Spock's finger. "Good work Mr. Spock," he said as he started down the tunnel. Spock whipped the tricorder across his shoulder and went after his captain.

They moved quickly down the passage, stopping every few feet so Spock could check his tricorder. "We're close, Captain. My readings indicate that we are right on top of it," Spock said as they moved along. Kirk nodded as his eyes swept the area.  There was a sound in the wall nearby and they stopped to listen. They heard it again, a grinding sound.

As they listened the sound grew louder. Suddenly the wall of the tunnel started to glow red and dissolve.  Kirk jumped back as did Spock with both men reach for their phasers.  Part of the wall was gone now, leaving a wide hole. They watched as something crawled its way out. It was massive. They could not tell with was the front of the back because it seemed to have no eyes, mouth or nose. It looked like a slab of slight molten rock with saggy bottom. It turned towards them and seemed to pause, before charging forward.

Kirk and Spock lifted their phasers without hesitation, firing on the creature.  It stopped but it took several seconds of fire before it retreated back into the hole in came from.  The two men lower their weapons and went after it.

"Spock, look at this hole.  Starfleet's best couldn't make a hole this deep." Kirk said as his hand caressed the edge of the opening.

"Indeed Captain. What amazed me was how fast the creature moved. Logically nothing that large should be able to move that fast."

Kirk snorted. "Logically eh?" Spock raised an eyebrow but made no comment.

"Do you think we could follow it through here?" Kirk asked. "

"We could but my readings show that this might connect to one up farther along. It could be faster to keep going."

Kirk straightened and moved forward. "Then we keep moving," he said. Spock trotted after him.

"Captain. I must advise that this tunnel splits farther up ahead."

"Well then we do the logical thing, Spock," Kirk called over his shoulder. He stopped once he reached the place where the tunnel split.

"Which would be, Captain?"  Kirk turned and smiled before he headed toward one of the tunnels.

"We split too." He trotted off before Spock could say anything word. Spock watched his captain go and for a moment thought to go after the man, but decided against it. He had choose to sever under this man and that meant following orders, even he personally thought that they were illogical orders.  He turned in the direction of the second tunnel and watched his tricorder for any signs of the creature.

Kirk moved along the passage he was in as it gradually became more narrow and constricting.  He hunched down and finally had to crawl on his hands and knees to move. He was starting to wonder this was such a good idea when the tunnel opened up into a wider area.

Kirk stood and looked around. The ground was flat here, but almost unnatural so and was littered with what looked like pieces of machinery. There were also more of the silicon nodules around, though a lot of them were broken.  He reached down and picked up a piece and examined it.  It appeared to be a thick shell.

He pulled out his communicator, "Spock?"

Spock's monotone chimed through, "Yes, Captain?"

"I just found more of those silicon nodules here, hundreds of them in fact."

"Really Captain? Hmmmm, I found that be enlightening. I must ask captain, that you be very careful those nodules" Kirk frowned and his brow knotted.

"Why?"

"Well it's just a theory but I think..." Spock's words were cut off by a rumble.  All around Kirk rocks tumbled as the roof collapsed.  He ducked down and under cover.

"Captain? Jim?" Spock's voice called from the communicator.  Kirk sat up and coughed as the dust settled around him.

"I'm alright Spock, but there was a cave in." Kirk stood and dusted himself off.  He studied the newly formed pile of rocks and debris that block his path back the way he came.

"I could use my phaser..."

"No Spock.  That could make it worse. I will just keep going. I think the tunnels meet farther up." There was silence and then a resigned sigh.

"Very well, Captain, but please proceed with caution."  Kirk gave a chuckle as he moved forward.  The tunnel kept going and along the passage Kirk found more and more for the purple spheres.  He stopped to examine one that was whole when he heard the odd grinding noise from before.

He stood rising his phaser just as part of the wall before him dissolved and the creature emerged.  It took notice of Kirk right away and for a period the two stared at one another.  At thought occurred to Kirk. Slowly, he lowered his phaser. As he did the creature advanced towards him, only to retreat backward when he raised the weapon again.   There was a beeping and with his other hand Kirk answered his communicator

"Kirk here," he said never taking his eyes off the creature. Spock's voice came through.

"Captain, I have some fresh reading on the creature.  It is very close and I think we may be able to locate it again." Kirk lowered and raised his weapon, with the monster acting in the same manner as before. He gave a mirthless half smile.

"I wouldn't worry about it Spock. I already know where the creature is at."

"You do?" Kirk could have laughed at Spock's incredulous tone.

"Yeah, in fact it's maybe ten feet from where I'm standing."  Silence filling the area as Kirk waited for his first officer to respond.

When Spock spoke again his tone held something like fear in it, "Kill it, Captain."  Kirk raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his communicator.

"It doesn't seem to be threatening me." He said turning his gaze back to the creature. It had not moved.

"But can you take the chance that it won't, Jim? Kill it!"  Kirk watched the creature, tilting his head from side to side in thought.

"But I thought you wanted to keep it alive Spock?" He knew that he was antagonizing his first officer and that he should be much more concerned about the thing in front of him, but he really didn't feel threatened. There was huff from his communicator.  Kirk smiled again.

"Jim, your life is in danger. You must act to protect yourself."  There was urgency in Spock's tone and something else. Kirk thought that he would have to remember to ask Spock about that later.

"It doesn't seem to be moving. It's just looking at me, I guess. It's hard to tell."

"May I remind you that this thing is proven Killer, Jim?"

I don't think that is necessary Spock." Kirk lowered his weapon and was surprised that this time the creature did not move. It sat, waiting.

"Very well. Stay where you are, Jim. I'm on my way."  The communicator beeped as the connection was closed and Kirk snorted.

"Where would I go, Spock?' He said to the air around him. He looked at the creature again. It still hadn't moved.

He inched over to a pile of rocks and sat down.  He placed his phaser and communicator back on his belt, letting out a long sigh.  The creature turned in place, Kirk assumed to keep an eye on him.

"So, what now?" He asked it.  It turned in place again, exposing its back. There was an oozing hole where he and Spock had it with phaser fire.  It turned back around again.

"So, you can be injured.  Well do we talk it out? Sit here? It's your move."   Nothing happened. Kirk nodded.  "Okay then," He said more to himself then the Creature.   There was a few seconds where the two sat and stared.  Suddenly Spock rounded a corner; his face flushed and took started to take aim. Kirk stood and waved Spock.

"Spock, No! No, just come over here."  Spock stopped started looking from his captain to the creature and back again. Without lowering his phaser he inched his way over to where Kirk was.  Kirk sat back down and Spock squatted next to him.

"Fascinating," Spock whispered taking a moment to really look at the thing before him. Kirk smiled slightly.

"Indeed, Mr. Spock" He watched Spock turn his gaze on him.

"And it's made no move against you?"  Kirk shook his head.

"Nope." Kirk continued to watch as his first officer peered around their surroundings. He gestured to a pile of silicon nodules nearby.

"Yeah. I saw those. They're everywhere down here. Thousands of them. Any thoughts?"

"Just one, Captain. I feel we may have our answer, but..."

"But Spock?" Spock chewed on his lower lip before he answered.

"I am not certain." Kirk's eye flicked back to the thing then back to Spock.

"Can you be certain?" Spock shut his eyes and for the moment appeared to weighing his options.  When he opened them again he handed his communicator and phaser to Kirk.

"Hold these, Captain. I do not wish to have them on my person." Kirk took the items and frowned but kept quiet as Spock stood. Carefully with his hands raised at eye level, he approached the creature. Slowly, he reached out to it, shutting his eyes. Kirk watched on frightened for his first officer and fascinated by what was happening.

Spock took a deep breath and his body stilled. The he screamed. Kirk jumped up and ran to him, but stopped when Spock screamed again and staggered back. Kirk dropped the items in his hands and caught Spock as the Vulcan fell to floor.

"Spock?" Kirk held his XO gingerly as the Vulcan shook staring wide eyed around him seemly in shock.

"Spock?" Kirk shook Spock and the wide brown eyes meet his.

"Jim.  So much pain. It's in agony," Spock whispered. He was no longer shaking and Kirk released him when Spock moved to stand.  Before them the creature moved. They watched as it climbed on a rock and then climb back down.  In the rock the words "NO KILL I" was etched.

"What does that mean?"Kirk wondered aloud. Spock shook his head.

"A plea to us not to harm it?" Spock ventured

"Or a promise that it won't kill us," Kirk said

"Perhaps both.  It may have gained some knowledge of us when I connected with it. I myself was able to learn that it is intelligent animal that refers to it's as a horta."

"A horta. What does the horta want? Maybe we can offer it help and it will give us the pump for the reactor back?"

"Possibly. I can try to communicate with it again, but I will have to engage a full mind meld with it."  Kirk looked surprised.

"Are you sure you want to do that Spock?" The Vulcan shrugged his shoulders.

"I see no other alternative here." Once again he approached the horta with his hands raised and knelt down beside it.

"Wait, Spock." Kirk said as he pulled out his communicator.

"Kirk to McCoy."

"McCoy here."

"Bones, I need you gather up your kit and get down here, now."

"What happened, Jim are you hurt? Where's Spock?"

"Never mind that, Bones.  Just get down here." He flipped his communicator shut before McCoy could comment further.   He saw that Spock was looked at him a confused expression on his face.

"Captain, I don't think McCoy will able to help the horta."

"But he will try and who knows. Bones might surprise us."  Spock frowned at this as Kirk's communicator beeped.

"Kirk here"

"Captain, Commander Giotto here. I wanted to let you know that we seemed to pick up on the creature's location and we are currently at the end of the tunnel." Kirk looked at Spock who shook his head. Kirk nodded.

"Excellent commander. At this time I want you and your men to hold your position. Dr. McCoy will be turning up in a moment. Let him through but only him. No one else is come this way. Have I made myself clear?"

There was only a brief pause, before Kirk heard, "Yes sir." Kirk flipped the communicator shut and nodded at Spock.  Spock turned back to the horta and carefully he placed both his hands on it.  He took another deep breath and Kirk waited.  At once Spock started screaming again. It was horrible and Kirk had to force himself not to run to his friend's side.

"Monsters! Murderers! All of them. The children, sorrow for the children." Spock sobbed and sick feeling spread over Kirk.

"Jim! Spock!" Kirk turned to see McCoy fly around the corner breathing hard.  He waved McCoy over to where he stood as the doctor stared first at Spock and the Horta and then to Kirk.

"Jim, what the hell is going on? I heard screaming." At that moment Spock let out another howl of pain.  The blood drained from McCoy's face.

"Bones, it's okay. Spock's not hurt but the horta is. I need you see what you can do for it."  Kirk Watched McCoy's face contort.

"What?!? Damn it Jim.  I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer. What do you expect me to do?"

"Your best and that's an order," Kirk shouted over Spock's cries.  McCoy opened and shut his mouth several times but finally huffed storming over to the horta.

"Spock, I need to talk to the horta. Tell it we want to help but we need to know where the pump is." Kirk shouted. Spock gave a nod, tears streaming down his face. From behind the horta McCoy watched, a look of mild horror washing over his features.

"Understood. Go into the tunnel. Into the chamber of the ages. What you seek is there. Go and cry for children," SPock whispered his voice raspy from screaming. Kirk quickly moved past them into the tunnel.

As he did heard McCoy growl into his communicator, "Never mind why I want it. I want it and I want it now, you hear me?"

The tunnel was short and opened to cavern. Kirk stared wide-eyed in awe at the sight before him.   The space was filled floor to ceiling with nodules, many of them broken, their pieces scattered about.   He shut his eyes and bought a hand to his mouth. Swallowing, Kirk opened his eyes again and started to search for the pump. He found it by a far wall, buried in broken silicon pieces. He picked it up and with one last look around he made his way back.

He found that McCoy was working with something muttering to himself over the horta and Spock had broken his connection with the horta.  He looked up as Kirk approached him. His face was wet with tears and he was shaking violently.

"Spock?" Kirk said cautiously.

"Jim..." Spock's voice shook as much as his body. "It's awful. The miners..." He voice trailed off and Kirk nodded, reach out to help Spock up.

"I know Spock. I saw. Come on. I got the part. Let's get it back to Vanderberg and we can explain what is going on."

"There it is! Get it!"  Kirk and Spock whipped their heads around to see Vanderberg and the miners rounding the corner armed with phasers and clubs."

"Shit!" Kirk spit the word as he reached for his phaser. He moved in front of the crowd, his weapon raised.

"Hey! Nobody move. If anyone so much as twitches, I start firing." Kirk's blue eyes scanned the crowd as they froze.

"Good," He said. "Where is my security officer?"

"Here sir." Giotto staggered through the mob, holding his head glaring at Vanderberg. "Sorry sir, but they jumped me."

"He wouldn't let us through. We want at that monster. It killed fifty of my men," Vanderberg said and was a sounding of jeers.

"You murdered thousands of her Children," Spock said stepping forward his phaser raised.  The miners paused.

"What?" Vanderberg asked. Spock continued forward making the miners step back.

"Spock?" Kirk called out but it seemed that Vulcan was not listening.

"You murdered thousands of her kind. Those "rocks" that you have been picking up and destroying? Those were her eggs."

"Eggs? W-w-we didn't know. How could we?" Vanderberg stammered.  Spock snarled and Kirk swore under his breath.

"Irrelevant. Your ignorance is not an excuse. You called her a monster because she did the only thing she could do in the face of your crimes."  Kirk saw that Spock's finger was on the trigger of his phaser.

"Spock." He tried again but nothing.

"Commander Spock.  I order you to stand down at once!" Kirk's commanding tone seemed to break through and Spock stopped.  With only a brief look back to Kirk he lower his weapon and stood at attention.  Kirk walked over to the Vanderberg and handed him the pump.

"Here go repair your reactor. I will have my commander relay a message to the horta that you did not act with malice and that we are willing to share the planet with her and her remaining children."

"We are?" Vanderberg asked, not bright enough to take in the full meaning of Kirk's tone.  Kirk smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Yes. He would communicate with the horta that you would like to form a partnership. That you will work with them to gather minerals and other good from the rock that her and baby tunnel through."

Vanderberg nodded and Kirk's smiled widened. "Good." Kirk said. He watched as the miner departed and then he turned Spock.

"Spock, you hear what I said. Relay that to momma horta." Spock relaxed slightly.

"But Captain it may not do any good. She is dying." He face was grief-stricken and Kirk's stomach knotted at the sight of it.

"She's gonna make it!" McCoy Shouted.  Kirk and Spock turned to see McCoy walking up to them his hand covered in gray goo.

"She is?" Kirk asked and McCoy beamed.

"Yep. I just took some of that thermal concrete we carry around and trawled it into the wound. It's mainly silicon, so it will act like a bandage until the wound heals."

Kirk grinned and noted the look of relief that passed over Spock's face. "You know Bone. I'm starting think you could rainy day," Kirk said.

"As am I," Spock added. McCoy preened.

"Hell, me too!" he said without a trace of modesty. Kirk just laughed.

"Okay Spock. You talk to the Horta and I will talk to the miners and we'll go from there."

*****

Back on the Enterprise Kirk rang the bell to Spock's quarters, not sure if the Vulcan would answer. He was relieved with heard, "come" from the other side of the door. He walked into the cabin to find Spock sitting at his desk staring down at his hands.  The Vulcan looked up at his captain.

"Jim." He said.

"Hey Spock. May I sit down?" Jim said gently. Spock nodded and Kirk took a seat across from his first officer.  "How are you?'

"Ashamed," Spock stated. Kirk nodded understandingly.

"Because of how you acted?" Spock nodded again.

"My behavior down there was unacceptable for anyone, let alone a Vulcan and an officer."  Kirk peered into Spock's face.  The Vulcan's face was pale and his eyes shiny.

"I agree, Spock, but may I say something here?" When Spock did not answer Kirk continued. "I understand why you acted as you did. Your behavior was unacceptable as a Vulcan and a member of Starfleet but as someone who watched his home destroyed, his people die, his mother murdered. I get it Spock. I'm just glad you heard me, because I would hate for you to deal with all that and to have blood on your own hands as well."

"Jim, I ..." Spock stopped and lowered his head.  Kirk reached out a hand and took up one Spock's in it.  Spock looked up and his expression softened.

"Thank you Jim," he whispered and Kirk smiled warmly.

"What are friends for Spock, but to understand? No one blames you." Spock nodded. Kirk patted Spock's hands and pulled back. He sat back in his chair and the two sat in silence.

After a while Kirk spoke again. "I spoke to Vanderberg. He said that someone of the baby hortas are hatching and already tunneling. He said that already they are up to elbows in pergium, as well as gold and platinum.  I tell you Spock they are going to be the richest men and women in the quadrant." Spock twisted his mouth and snorted.  Kirk continued.

"You what Vanderberg told me? He told me that the horta weren't so bad once you got use to how they looked."

Spock raised an eyebrow, "He said that? I find that rather amusing. That is exactly what the mother horta thought about humans."

"Really? Didn't think much of us, eh?" Kirk asked grinning.

"Indeed not, she did like one thing..."

"What?" Kirk leaned forward.  Spock blushed slightly.

"My ears. She found them quite pleasing." Kirk stifled a laugh.

"Really, Spock? Your ears?"  Spock raised an eyebrow.

"Captain, may I remind you that the horta is a remarkably intelligent and sensitive creature, with impeccable taste..."

"Because she liked your ears?" Kirk was grinning manically now. Spock sat back and made a little shake of his head.

"Captain, my modesty..."

"Does not bear close examination at this time, Spock."  Kirk laughed as Spock frowned slightly.

"Spock, I think you are becoming more and more human every day." At this Spock's head snapped back as if he had been slapped.

"I see no call for that, Jim."  Kirk laughed again and leaned forward.

"I did, but never mind that for now. You wanna play some chess?"  Spock paused and there was the tiniest movement at the corner of his mouth. Kirk smiled back.

"I liked that very much, Jim." Later in the night when they had forgotten their game and just sat talking, Kirk peered over the board at Spock his head to one side.

"You Spock, think about what happened today, you have to wonder what really makes a monster." Spock blinked and took a deep breath through his nose.

"It would seem not much at all, Jim."  Kirk let that sink and they sat in silence for the remainder for the evening.


End file.
